Web corner protector

ABSTRACT

A corner protector having angularly arranged planar portions for engaging surfaces of an article adjacent to a corner thereof with outwardly extending portions provided with apertures through which a web extends. The protector has portions, adjacent the corner, offset outwardly to be spaced from the corner of the article. A slit extending from a side of the protector to a respective aperture permits the protector to be applied to a web intermediate the web ends.

Unitedv States Patent 1 Gale 1 1 WEB CORNER PROTECTOR [75] Inventor:James G. Gale, Leawood, Kans.

[73] Assignee: Newco Manufacturing Company,

Inc., Kansas City, Mo.

[22] Filed: July 26, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 165,901

[52] US. Cl. 294/74 [51] Int. Cl. B66c 1/12 [58] Field of Search 294/67E, 67 EA, 294/67 B, 67 A, 74; 248/222; 24/16 R, 115 K; 217/66 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,793,904 5/1957 Gale 294/74FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 210,668 1/1967 Sweden 294/74 [451 July3,1973

6/l956 Austria 294/74 7/1957 France 294/74 Primary Examiner-Even C.Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Attorney-Claude A. Fishburn,Orville 0. Gold et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A corner protector having angularly arranged planarportions for engaging surfaces of an article adjacent to a cornerthereof with outwardly extending portions provided with aperturesthrough which a web extends. The protector has portions, adjacent thecorner, offset outwardly to be spaced from the corner of the article. Aslit extending from a side of the protector to a respective aperturepermits the protector to be applied to a web intermediate the web ends.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEUJUL 3 1975 3. 743. 341

mvsmoa James G. Gale Y 74224, M vii;

ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJIJI. 3 ma SHEEIZBFZ m ml m w E N6 VN 6 m s n 3 A m IJ M WEB CORNER PROTECTOR The present invention relates to apparatus forhandling articles or stacks of articles or like cargo and particularlyto a protective member used with webbing to protect corner portions ofarticles from the webbing during handling.

In the handling and securing of articles, including stacks thereof,containers and other items of cargo, strips of webbing as for example,woven nylon belt or the like may be used. While such web strips'are lessabrasive on articles than wire rope or the like, the force of the web onthe corners of articles in supporting or securing a load can damage thecorners. Web slings usually have elongate belt of webbing with D-ringsor the like secured to the ends thereof. Attempts to use such slingswith separate corner protectors has not solved the problem because ofthe time consumed in holding the protectors to position same on anarticle while a web is tensioned thereabout. Also such work is difficultand can require additional personnel.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a webcorner protector that will eliminate the aforesaid problems; to providesuch a web corner protector having surfaces engaging intersectingsurfaces of an article to protect the corner thereof from webbing orstrapping during handling; to provide such a protective member that iseasily applied to a web intermediate its ends whereby the protectors maybe easily moved along the length thereof to properly position same on anarticle to be handled; to provide such a protective member withoutwardly extending flange portions having apertures therein throughwhich the web or belt extend whereby the web is exteriorly thereof whenthe protector is engaged with an article of cargo; to provide such aprotective member with outwardly offset portions at the corner wherebythe protective member is spaced from the corner of the article; and toprovide such a protective member that is economical to manufacture,durable in construction and particularly well adapted for the proposeduse.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include anexemplary embodiment illustrating various objects and features of theprotective member of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article being lifted with web slingsand protective members embodying the features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a protective member engagedwith a corner portion of an article.

FIG. 3 is a partial end elevation of an article with a protective memberengaged with one edge thereof.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of an interior side of the protectivemember.

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a protective member with a portionmoved for insertion of a web into the aperture thereof.

Referring more in detail to drawings:

As required detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in variousforms, therefore, the disclosure hereof is presented only as arepresentative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variouslyemploy the present invention in virtually any appropriate detailedstructure.

In the disclosed embodiment of the present invention the referencenumeral 1 generally designates an article or stack of articles to bemoved or secured by means of webs or belts 2 adapted to extend aroundthe article 1 whereby it could engage corners 3 thereof. In thestructure illustrated in FIG. 1 a pair of web slings extend around thearticle on load I .and each end of each web has suitable loops such asD-rings 4 secured thereto for engagement with hooks 5 mounted on alifting device such as a beam 6 adapted to be raised by a crane or thelike. The reference numeral 7 generally designates corner protectivemembers embodying the present invention and adapted to be positionedbetween the web belts 2 and the corners 3 of the load or article 1 beinghandled as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The protective member 7 has a generally L-shaped body 8 having twoangularly disposed outwardly extending arms 9 and 10 formed integrallytherewith. The arms 9 and 10 preferably are planar portions withinterfaces 11 and 12 of the respective arms forming surfaces ofsubstantial area with an inside corner angle adapted to be seatedagainst a selected corner portion 3 of a load or article 1 to behandled. The arms 9 and 10 of the protective member have outwardlyextending flanges l3 and 14 respectively spaced from the corner or pointof intersection 15 of said arms. The flanges 13 and 14 preferably arearranged with inner faces 16 defining an obtuse angle with therespective inner faces 11 and 12 of the arms. Each flange has anelongate aperture 17 of a size transversely of the arms to accommodatethe width of a web or belt 2 adapted to be used therewith. Theprotective member is of a width substantially greater than the width ofthe web 2 whereby the material between the sides 18 of the protectivemember and the ends 19 of the respective apertures is ample to providesuitable strength in the use and handling of the protective members.Each of the arms 9 and 10 have portions 20 adjacent the point ofintersection 15 offset outwardly as at 21 whereby the adjacent portionsdefine a corner spaced outwardly from the surfaces 11 and 12 to therebyeliminate any contact between the protector and the corner 3 of anarticle 1 being handled.

In the illustrated structure the arms 9 and 10 are diverging memberswhereby the planar surfaces 11 and 12 are at an angle of It is to beunderstood that the structure may be such that the angle between thediverging members will accommodate a particular angle of surfacesdefining the corner of an article to be handled or secured as forexample, if the article is hexagonal, the angle of divergence would besubstantially It is preferred that the apertures 17 be of a size wherebythe protector is slidable along a web 2 to selectively position same. Toaccomplish this there is suitable clearance between the side 22 of theweb and the ends 19 of the aperture. However, the clearance is limitedwhereby the web 2 is substantially centered in the width of theprotector. It is preferred that the protector be capable of installationon a web sling intermediate the ends thereof and be removable for otheruse of the sling. A completed sling having a web 2 with D-rings 4thereon presents a larger portion 23 at the ends thereof. It ispreferred that the aperture 17 be smaller than the portion 23 and inorder to permit installation and removal of the protector members thesides of the flanges are provided with slits 24 extending from one endof an aperture to the adjacent side of the protector. And, it ispreferred that as shown in FIG. 4 the slit from one aperture extends toone side and the slit 24 from the other aperture extends to the otherside of the protector so as to prevent opposing lateral forces on theweb and protector effecting removal of the protector.

The protector may be made of any suitable material but it is preferablyformed of a suitable plastic such as polyethylene, polypropylene orother strong wear resistant plastic. The particular structure is suchthat it can be manufactured as by extrusion of long lengths which arethen cut to give a desired width of the protector and the apertures 17and slits 24 then formed in the respective flanges. It is also such thatit is adapted to be formed from sheets or strip heated and bent orpressed to the desired shape. It is also adapted for production byinjection molding. I have found that use of high density type plasticswith such manufacturing methods provides economical manufacture and theprotector is tough, resisting breakage, absorbs shock and is rust proof.

In using protective members constructed as illustrated and described aweb 2 is moved to present an edge at a slit 24 of a flange 13 and thenthe outer portion of the flange bent or flexed to open the slit topermit the web 2 to pass therethrough into the respective aperture 17.The other side edge of the web 2 is presented to the slit of the otherflange l4 and the outer flange portion flexed to permit the slit 24 toopen sufficiently for the web 2 to pass into the respective aperture.This assembles the protector 7 on the web 2 of the strap or sling andsaid protector can be moved longitudinally thereof. A desired number ofthe protectors 7 are placed on the web 2 and then the web and protectorsare moved to an article to be moved or lifted. The protectors are movedon the web to present the inner surfaces 11 and 12 to engage a bottomsurface 25 and side surface 26 of the article I at a corner 3. Anotherprotector 7 is arranged at the opposite corner to engage thecorresponding surfaces defining same. With this arrangement the web isexteriorly of the protector and the surfaces adjacent the comer arespaced from the corner 3 of the article so as to prevent contact anddamage thereto. Force is applied to the ends of the web 2 to pull sametight and apply desired force to the article as for example, if the webis a sling the D-rings 4 may be connected to a book for liftingpurposes. If the web extends substantially vertically from the sides ofthe article the two protectors on the lower corners may be sufficient.However, if the web extends inwardly from the upper comers it isdesirable to apply protectors 7 on the web 2 at the corners 27 and 28 soas to also protect same. When the use of the protectors is completedthey may be removed from the web 2 by flexing end portions of theflanges whereby the slits 24 are spread or open and the web movedtherethrough. It is to be understood that the corner protector inaddition to protecting corners of cargo or like articles during handlingis also usable for securing loads and the like as for example, theplurality of articles loaded on a truck or the like may be secured inplace by a web and protectors substantially as in the same manner asdescribed.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described oneform of my invention it is not to be limited to a specific form orarrangement of parts herein described and shown.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A web corner protector for protecting corners of articles from webstraps and the like during handling comprising:

a. an angularly shaped one piece member of synthetic resin having twointerconnected right angular planar portions with inner surfaces adaptedto engage surfaces of an article adjacent a corner thereof, said planarportions being wider than a web to be received thereby;

b. said planar portions each having outwardly offset portions at theinter-connection of the planar portions whereby when the planar portionsare engaged with article surfaces adjacent the comer, said offsetportions and corner formed thereby are spaced from the corner of thearticle;

c. outwardly inclined flanges on terminal portions of said planarportions, inner surfaces of said flanges being in a plane making anobtuse angle with the plane of the respectively planar portion, saidplanar portions and flanges being of substantially uniform thickness;

d. elongate apertures in said flange portions with an inner edge spacedfrom the planar portion and aligned with the offset portion of therespective planar portion, said aperture being of suitable size to passa strip of webbing whereby the planar portions and offset portionsthereof are between the web and an article engaged by the planarportions;

e. each flange having a slit extending laterally from the respectiveaperture therein to a side thereof, the slit in one flange extendingfrom the respective aperture outwardly to one side of said member andthe slit of the other flange extending outwardly from the respectiveaperture to the opposite side of said member whereby a flange portionoutwardly of the respective slit is movable to provide an openingpermitting a web to pass into the respective aperture and the protectorapplied to a web intermediate the ends thereof.

i i i

1. A web corner protector for protecting corners of articles from webstraps and the like during handling comprising: a. an angularly shapedone piece member of synthetic resin having two interconnected rightangular planar portions with inner surfaces adapted to engage surfacesof an article adjacent a corner thereof, said planar portions beingwider than a web to be received thereby; b. said planar portions eachhaving outwardly offset portions at the inter-connection of the planarportions whereby when the planar portions are engaged with articlesurfaces adjacent the corner, said offset portions and corner formedthereby are spaced from the corner of the article; c. outwardly inclinedflanges on terminal portions of said planar portions, inner surfaces ofsaid flanges being in a plane making an obtuse angle with the plane ofthe respectively planar portion, said planar portions and flanges beingof substantially uniform thickness; d. elongate apertures in said flangeportions with an inner edge spaced from the planar portion and alignedwith the offset portion of the respective planar portion, said aperturebeing of suitable size to pass a strip of webbing whereby the planarportions and offset portions thereof are between the web and an articleengaged by the planar portions; e. each flange having a slit extendinglaterally from the respective aperture therein to a side thereof, theslit in one flange extending from the respective aperture outwardly toone side of said member and the slit of the other flange extendingoutwardly from the respective aperture to the opposite side of saidmember whereby a flange portion outwardly of the respective slit ismovable to provide an opening permitting a web to pass into therespective aperture and the protector applied to a web intermediate theends thereof.